Moto Guzzi Big Mono Naked SD Concept

Our Imaginary Garage sessions on Pipeburn are all very good and well but if we ever wanted to ramp things up just a little and start doing some 3D modeling, I’d be much more than happy seeing a bike like this roll out of the other end. These stunning renderings are by Italian industrial designer Paolo De Giusti, who has drawn inspiration from an older generation of single cylinder Moto Guzzis from the 50s that have been all-but-forgotten since the company’s success with it’s twin cylinder V90.

And if that’s not unique enough, he’s also gone and made it a 903cc turbo-diesel engine with a hydraulic transmission for the estimated 150 horsies and 133 ft/lbs of torques (!) to slosh through. Bolt a 30 lt (8 gallon) tank and you’ll have a bike that would ride all night, which is exactly what Paolo intended. “Ideally this bike, with a range of 550 miles, is designed to run for hours in the now-defunct Milan-Taranto open road endurance race.”

His achievements here shouldn’t be underestimated – he’s managed to design a bike that draws on racing motorbike designs of the 1950s and fused it with a modern sports bike sensibilities and just a dash of cafe racer for good measure. Offline I’ve been quite critical of the new Norton Commando due to its uninspired and confusing modern take on a classic design; here’s a bike that really highlights it’s shortcomings and reminds us just what’s possible when you know your stuff.

Paolo continues, “In the mechanical features you can find exotic solutions – the wheels made of two parts, aluminum channels, and carbon spoke fixed on large empty hubs. The front suspension follows a classical parallelogram scheme, led by an air spring shock.”

“In these motorcycles, the mechanics are organized along an ideal axis that connects the front hub to rear. I wanted to design a ‘romantic’ bike, deliberately limiting the aerodynamic protection. This makes the bike very stable…forcing the pilot to lie down on the tank. It even has an handle on the side to accommodate the left hand, removed from the handlebar to increase the aerodynamics.”

“The main design structure runs on an axis that includes the cut on bottom of the tank, the seat and tail, axis is related to the long dark line defined by the mufflers. There are many asymmetrical details, such as support for the tail, the front suspension, tank or headlight, making the lines more dynamic and rich. In conclusion, form and function are not separable in this concept. Every mechanical component is part of the design project.”

uncomfortable and not perhaps the most stress-testable frame design. zero front clearance makes the idea of this being anywhere but a specific track with specific characteristics (eg. dead flat) cringeworthy.

Laudable considered his awards, but real-world? no.

overdraft

i would buy this bike all day long… SO cool…

Arion

Emaychee,

The front suspension arm design means the front wheel will move upward in an arc. Initial compression will actually increase clearance between wheel and engine. This is common to most swing arm equipped front suspensions and is unlike telescopic forks.

Asshole Welder

Paolo di Giusti, you just showed moto guzzi how to innovate and not imitate

pointer

Really interesting. I was about to say "put the rear, single-sided swing arm on the same side as the front", until I realized the rear is not single-sided. Truly fooled me. Beautiful bike. Looks more uncomfortable than my old 996. I think I would have preferred the aesthetics of a conventionally-sized front wheel (say, 17") instead of what looks like a 21", and a rear, single-sided swing arm. Oh, and there is plenty of space in the frame for a Ducati v-twin. But an amazing prototype with tons of originality.

JohninVT

While the overall design is good looking, the spec'd output is ludicrous. There isn't a 900cc single cylinder diesel in existance that puts out 130hp. You would be lucky to get 30hp. You would also need an 80lb battery just to crank the piston over to start the bike.

Andrew

@ JohninVT There's plenty of new compact cars coming onto the market in Europe that use small turbo diesels twins to get about 100+ HP out of 1.3 and 1 litre engines. Surely 130 HP wouldn't be out of the question for a 900cc single with a bigger turbo and a few decent engine tweaks?

Chris

Build it and i ride it at Bonneville Salt Flats………if i die, it was worth it!! True words.

Turbo lag with a single cylinder firing every second engine revolution could be a bit – ahem – excessive? The concept does have a lot of aesthetically interesting mechanical features though.

kik

simple chaos,….i like it

Andrew

@Chris Interesting choice. Very interesting…

http://www.muee.eu Paolo De Giusti

Thank a lot to Scott and Andrew for the Post !@emaycheewhen I say Function I mean technical function, the definition of functionality is different, and now is a synonym of comfort, practicality and rationality, but these elements do not belong entirely to the motorcycle world, a bike si also a "dream machine" that has little to do with rationality.However, looking at many bikes (without motor mounted), you can see how they have frames most articulate and seemingly fragile.@ArionExactly, the front suspension is Fully functionalthe scheme is not different from this for example:http://www.timpilling.u-net.com/images/Girvin_linkage_fork.JPG

@JohninVTthis is a concpet, so the technical datas may be approximated, but the torque is already achievable with current technology . The value of power is certainly optimistic, but actually a racing turbodiesel engine is near 120hp/Lt

Nice, but i think theres a few too many innovations for it too actually sell – if it was ever made. The market only likes one innovation at a time.

lance Houston

Moto guzzis longitudal V Twin is the focal point for most. I think Paolo continues this "engine as focal point" idea with this very unusual Turbo Diesel. The modernist looking Manx tank & seat cowl seem to be a positive future design for theGuzzi Marque !

Lowflying

Wow. I like very much.

I love how the brake calipers are intergrated with the front suspension and swingarm. I wonder how that would look on a normal street bike with conventional forks. Just elongate the forks on either side and integrate the calipers – could be interesting. Maybe would add unsprung weight at the front though? The rear might actually be a weight saving…

I also love the slimness of the bike. Maybe the rear tire is actually wider than it needs to be. I know how obsessed with fat rear tires everyone is but sometimes less is more, and maybe more in keeping with the overall slimness of this bike. Then again, with all that torque, maybe that fat rear hoop is needed. I think traction control would be a good idea if it really twists 133 ft/lbs worth!

That open hub at the front is so cool. It would be interesting to mirror that at the back and see how that looked.

Overall, to my untrained, uneducated and unrefined eye, this looks very cool. I really like the maroon colour too.

It's good to see a concept that isn't too big, too heavy, too many cylinders, etc.

RocketRobinHood

Love the lines of the motor and pipes (WANT those pipes). The rest of it just gets better and better the more I look at it. The slimness of the engine is so cool, and I'd love to try a 900cc single. Nice f'en design.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Tony-Stark/100003079960619 Tony Stark

Cool concept. Love the tiny little windshield. That cracks me up.

Biker MIker

Jealous douche much?

Carbon Arc

Do like!

Emaychee

"form and function are not separable.."

uncomfortable and not perhaps the most stress-testable frame design. zero front clearance makes the idea of this being anywhere but a specific track with specific characteristics (eg. dead flat) cringeworthy.

Laudable considered his awards, but real-world? no.

overdraft

i would buy this bike all day long… SO cool…

Arion

Emaychee,

The front suspension arm design means the front wheel will move upward in an arc. Initial compression will actually increase clearance between wheel and engine. This is common to most swing arm equipped front suspensions and is unlike telescopic forks.

Asshole Welder

Paolo di Giusti, you just showed moto guzzi how to innovate and not imitate

pointer

Really interesting. I was about to say "put the rear, single-sided swing arm on the same side as the front", until I realized the rear is not single-sided. Truly fooled me. Beautiful bike. Looks more uncomfortable than my old 996. I think I would have preferred the aesthetics of a conventionally-sized front wheel (say, 17") instead of what looks like a 21", and a rear, single-sided swing arm. Oh, and there is plenty of space in the frame for a Ducati v-twin. But an amazing prototype with tons of originality.

JohninVT

While the overall design is good looking, the spec'd output is ludicrous. There isn't a 900cc single cylinder diesel in existance that puts out 130hp. You would be lucky to get 30hp. You would also need an 80lb battery just to crank the piston over to start the bike.

Andrew

@ JohninVT There's plenty of new compact cars coming onto the market in Europe that use small turbo diesels twins to get about 100+ HP out of 1.3 and 1 litre engines. Surely 130 HP wouldn't be out of the question for a 900cc single with a bigger turbo and a few decent engine tweaks?

Chris

Build it and i ride it at Bonneville Salt Flats………if i die, it was worth it!! True words.

Turbo lag with a single cylinder firing every second engine revolution could be a bit – ahem – excessive? The concept does have a lot of aesthetically interesting mechanical features though.

kik

simple chaos,….i like it

Andrew

@Chris Interesting choice. Very interesting…

http://www.muee.eu Paolo De Giusti

Thank a lot to Scott and Andrew for the Post !@emaycheewhen I say Function I mean technical function, the definition of functionality is different, and now is a synonym of comfort, practicality and rationality, but these elements do not belong entirely to the motorcycle world, a bike si also a "dream machine" that has little to do with rationality.However, looking at many bikes (without motor mounted), you can see how they have frames most articulate and seemingly fragile.@ArionExactly, the front suspension is Fully functionalthe scheme is not different from this for example:http://www.timpilling.u-net.com/images/Girvin_linkage_fork.JPG

@JohninVTthis is a concpet, so the technical datas may be approximated, but the torque is already achievable with current technology . The value of power is certainly optimistic, but actually a racing turbodiesel engine is near 120hp/Lt

Nice, but i think theres a few too many innovations for it too actually sell – if it was ever made. The market only likes one innovation at a time.

lance Houston

Moto guzzis longitudal V Twin is the focal point for most. I think Paolo continues this "engine as focal point" idea with this very unusual Turbo Diesel. The modernist looking Manx tank & seat cowl seem to be a positive future design for theGuzzi Marque !

Lowflying

Wow. I like very much.

I love how the brake calipers are intergrated with the front suspension and swingarm. I wonder how that would look on a normal street bike with conventional forks. Just elongate the forks on either side and integrate the calipers – could be interesting. Maybe would add unsprung weight at the front though? The rear might actually be a weight saving…

I also love the slimness of the bike. Maybe the rear tire is actually wider than it needs to be. I know how obsessed with fat rear tires everyone is but sometimes less is more, and maybe more in keeping with the overall slimness of this bike. Then again, with all that torque, maybe that fat rear hoop is needed. I think traction control would be a good idea if it really twists 133 ft/lbs worth!

That open hub at the front is so cool. It would be interesting to mirror that at the back and see how that looked.

Overall, to my untrained, uneducated and unrefined eye, this looks very cool. I really like the maroon colour too.

It's good to see a concept that isn't too big, too heavy, too many cylinders, etc.

RocketRobinHood

Love the lines of the motor and pipes (WANT those pipes). The rest of it just gets better and better the more I look at it. The slimness of the engine is so cool, and I'd love to try a 900cc single. Nice f'en design.